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Dear Conservationist,In 2017, members of Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) passed a resolution to support the release of pheasants on state land to improve hunter participation. Through MUCC’s active staff and grassroots advocacy work, we are turning this idea into action.
In December 2018, the Michigan Legislature approved general funds to implement the Michigan Pheasant Hunting Initiative (MPHI). This program facilitated pheasant releases on public land across the state of Michigan with the goals to introduce youth and adult non-hunters to small game hunting, reactivate lapsed hunters and retain current hunters. However, funding for MPHI is not guaranteed after 2020 when the two-year pilot program ends.
In the fall of 2019, legislators began hearings on HB 4313 — a bill that would create a $25 pheasant hunting stamp and establish a user-paid revenue stream to maintain a pheasant release program and provide funds for grassland habitat restoration across the state. The stamp would allocate 75% of the revenue towards the release of pheasants, and 25% will go towards pheasant habitat.
The sponsor of the bill is Rep. Gary Howell (R-North Branch) and has garnered bipartisan support.HB 4313 passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee in December 2019 and passed the House Judiciary Committee last week.The Michigan House of Representatives is set to vote on HB 4313 as soon as tomorrow.
Today, we are asking you to support this effort by calling your state representative about HB 4313 to help create sustained pheasant hunting opportunities in this state for years to come. Contact your state representative by clicking here to show your support HB 4313. Mention that the bill will:
Continue the Michigan pheasant release program, which will end after this Fall if the bill does not pass.
Increase outdoor participation in order to recruit, retain and reactivate hunters. In the 2019 season (according to preliminary data):
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Nearly 3,000 hunters spent around 12,000 days afield hunting pheasants resulting in nearly 5,000 harvested pheasants.
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About 53% of hunters harvested at least one pheasant
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Two-thirds of pheasant hunters on the 13 game areas had not hunted any other small game species.
Provide funding for pheasant habitat improvement throughout the state.
We encourage you to call your state representative and tell them to vote YES on HB 4313. Calls are the most effective form of advocacy (click on phone icon to be patched through directly), but emails are suitable as well if you cannot make a call. Make your contact before the House session starts, which is at 1:30 pm on March 17. Again, click this link to be connected to your state representative and call now!Sincerely,  Amy TrotterExecutive Director
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